Bareback ride

[HeavensEast]

First time riding KC outside bareback with the bit. We worked on walking and reaching for the bit, and I also did some trotting. He used to forget his back end was attached, and his hindend would drop as he threw his nose in the air. He was good, but I had trouble keeping my legs in a fixed position because KC doesn't have much of an indentation at the heart girth. I'm used to Heaven, who had great padding there.
Natisha was helping me and laughing at me. ;):innocent:
http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=aab1da8ec5cf02041d22f0&skin_id=701

[Dakota Sunrise]

Cute video.:D Isn't bareback awesome?:) I love it, especially cantering bareback!
I went for a bareback trail ride tonight.:) It was really fun except he was shedding and sweating so much that I almost slipped off his butt when we climbed up a couple really big hills, lol!:innocent: :p It's hard to grip a sweaty, hairy horse!:p

[JackieB]

Looked good. He'll get the hang of dropping his head at the light pressure. Don't forget that "lateral leads to vertical". Lots of flexes will help this, too.

[Petra]

Cool video. I'm working on the same thing with Crystal. She is still not used to keeping her hed down.
I like riding bareback too.
Lol, I rode Trigger bareback two days ago. Than I had to run to WallMart. Only there I realized what my butt looked like!

[natisha]

Looked good. He'll get the hang of dropping his head at the light pressure. Don't forget that "lateral leads to vertical". Lots of flexes will help this, too.
Ahhh.. hacked natisha's account again. It's early :sleep:

[HeavensEast]

Looked good. He'll get the hang of dropping his head at the light pressure. Don't forget that "lateral leads to vertical". Lots of flexes will help this, too.
I do a lot of flexing, but I don't think people want to watch me flex KC for 5 minutes when I first get on, some during the ride, and some right before I get off. lol :p
He is very good at flexing, I think, I only have to bring my hand down on the rein and he will bring his head around.

[shewasmyshadow]

You look great! I love all the little boring things you do to teach flexing and bending. ;) I'm weird that way. I also LOVE round pen work. It's my thing.

Psst... Natisha, the left/right/left/right thing you were telling HE to do... My first teacher taught me that. She called it seesawing. No other teacher or trainer I've trained with has heard of it or uses it. Is that an arab person thing? Because my first teacher trained at an arabian farm.

[natisha]

You look great! I love all the little boring things you do to teach flexing and bending. ;) I'm weird that way. I also LOVE round pen work. It's my thing.

Psst... Natisha, the left/right/left/right thing you were telling HE to do... My first teacher taught me that. She called it seesawing. No other teacher or trainer I've trained with has heard of it or uses it. Is that an arab person thing? Because my first teacher trained at an arabian farm.I don't know if it's an Arab thing as I've never worked with an Arab trainer.
Let me try to explain what HE was doing. KC side flexes really well & he is now ready for vertical flexion now that we have his head/neck down & he doesn't try to run through the bit. We don't seesaw as I've seen some do. We are starting to get him to flex at the poll. By left right I mean slight, slow uptake of the reins, as if squeezing a sponge, therefore asking for mini flexes, for lack of a better word. This will get him to flex at the poll, eventually.
He is starting to get it but has trouble holding it for very long. The muscles on the underside of his neck are too developed from holding his neck wrong before. I do see some change in the top muscles so we are getting some improvement.
We could cheat & use a German martingale but at this point we want him to understand what we want & willingly do it, not force him. We may need to use a martingale when we get to impulsion work but for now we are trying to change his muscling without one. It is slower but I think it gets better results.
I hope this makes sense & answers your question.